Safety shoe



June 3, 1958 w, L RICHARDS 2,836,909

SAFETY SHOE Filed March 8, 1957 2 5 u Mfrs/w72:

Unite sari-arr stron Application March S, 1957, Serial No. 644,766

1 Claim. (Cl. 36 "2) This invention relates to footwea. and more particularly to a guard for protecting the instep in a safety shoe.

Safety shoes with a steel toe reinforcement have been known for some time, and there have been a few proposals for extending the protection over the instep to protect it also from falling objects. ln some cases, the instep guard has been a continuation of the toe guard, but this arrangement has disadvantages of expense and inconvenience to the user. A more desirable system involves the use of the conventional steel toe box and a separate guard for the instep, which is entirely unconnected with the toe portion of the foot, thereby offering greater freedom of bending. For example, Patent No. 2,393,810 discloses a pair of thin metal U-shaped members extending over the instep and with inturned tongues secured in the sole of the shoe. This arrangement has advantages in permitting bendino of the sole, but the arrangement proposed by the patentee lacks strength and is permanently secured to the shoe, hence cannot be removed, should that be desirable.

Accordingly, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a separate instep guard, which is supported on the sole of the shoe to extend over the instep in spaced relationship, yet which has considerable rigidity and which may be readily removed.

ln the attainment of these objectives, l contemplate that the guard will be formed as a U-shaped arch with inturned portions at the ends thereof adapted to seat on the ange or projecting portion of the sole. Preferably, the safety shoe should be one which has a relatively large projection at the sole to more readily accommodate the arch. The arch itself is formed with ribs extending therearound. in the illustrated embodiment, there are three ribs and two relatively wider troughs. A buckle strap is received within one of the troughs in such position as to extend beneath the sole adjacent the heel and thereby secure the guard on the shoe. lf desired, the sole may have holes drilled in its margins and the inturned end sections of the arch may be formed with pins which seat within the holes, thereby preventing forward displacement of the arch. With the buckle strap, the arch may be removed, and since the strap extends under the sole near the heel, it does not render the shoe uncomfortable.

Other features of the invention will be in part apparent from and in part pointed out in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an oblique view of a safety shoe embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shoe shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the instep guard, which is used with the shoe;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken generally on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

frets Patent: O

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. l to show a way in which the guard is secured against displacement in the forward direction; and

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a shoe generally designated 1 having a toe portion 3, which preferably is reinforced with a steel box or cap (not shown). Otherwise the shoe may be of a conventional design having a heel 5, a sole 7 and upper 9. Preferably, however, the sole 7 is designed to have a relatively wide flange or projecting portion 11 for receiving an instep guard generally designated 13. This guard is formed with a steel core having a back plate 15 and rod members 17, the latter being spaced so as to present exterior ribs 1.9 bounding relatively wider troughs 21. The upper portion of the arch may then be covered with a canvas fabric 23 to improve appearance.

The end portions of the arch are turned inwardly as indicated in 25 and are adapted to seat on the side projections or flange portions 11 of the sole. A hole 27 is drilled through the sole at each side, and pins 29 projecting from the ends 25 of the arch seat within the holes. The pins 29 thereby serve to lock the guard against forward or backward displacement. The guard is otherwise secured by means of a canvas strap 31 with a buckle 33. The ribbed shape of the arch not only provides greater strength or rigidity but also serves as a means for holding the strap. In use, the end 35 of the strap is brought beneath the sole 7 and secured in the buckle 33.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that those skilled in the art will understand the structure, function and mode of operation of the invention herein disclosed, and appreciate the advantages thereof. A1- though one embodiment has been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but the drawings and description thereof are to be understood as being merely illustrative. It is realized that many modifications and variations will present themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a safety shoe, the improvement that comprises an instep guard formed as a U-shaped metal arch with a ribbed exterior surface defining a continuous transverse trough thereabout, the ends of said arch abutting the projecting portions of the sole at the sides of the shoe adjacent the instep, and securing means comprising a strap seated within said trough and extending under the sole adjacent the instep.

References Cited in the le of this patent France Feb. 18, 1955 

